In which of the following sentences are commas used correctly?

tts Icon

My neighbor, is wearing her straw hat and, she is working in the garden.
tts Icon

My neighbor, worked in the garden, wearing her straw hat.
tts Icon

The woman, wearing the straw hat, is my neighbor.
tts Icon

My neighbor, wearing her straw hat, worked in the garden.
tts Icon

1 answer

The sentence in which commas are used correctly is:

The woman, wearing the straw hat, is my neighbor.

This sentence correctly uses commas to set off the non-restrictive clause "wearing the straw hat."

The other sentences contain incorrect comma placements. Here’s a brief analysis of each:

  1. My neighbor, is wearing her straw hat and, she is working in the garden.

    • Incorrectly places a comma after "neighbor" and before "she".
  2. My neighbor, worked in the garden, wearing her straw hat.

    • The comma after "neighbor" is unnecessary and disrupts the flow of the sentence.
  3. My neighbor, wearing her straw hat, worked in the garden.

    • This comma usage is mostly acceptable as "wearing her straw hat" is a non-restrictive clause, however, some might argue that the sentence flows better without the first comma.

A more conventional approach would be to revise the sentences:

  • "My neighbor worked in the garden, wearing her straw hat." (removes the first comma)
  • "My neighbor, who is wearing her straw hat, worked in the garden." (if you're trying to emphasize the fact that the straw hat is bringing extra information about the neighbor)